


it's future dust or it's future us

by novaKnight_Rahxbi



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A Light Smattering of Angst, Gen, Life Is Strange Spoilers, M/M, Minor Gun Violence, brotherhood era, life is strange au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 07:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21591784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novaKnight_Rahxbi/pseuds/novaKnight_Rahxbi
Summary: Just one step. All it would take is one step and he could stop all of this again. There had to be something he could do differently this time. He didn’t have to necessarily rewind. Maybe he could step in between them, get the gun away from Loqi somehow. Never mess with time ever again after this so him and Noct could have all the time in the world. Just the two of them.--In the world's worst example of the trolley problem, Prompto has one last decision to make.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	it's future dust or it's future us

Blistering winds and rainfall pelted Prompto’s skin, who remained unfazed as he looked back and forth between the worn photo of a blue butterfly he was holding in his hands, and the daunting sight of a massive typhoon approaching Lestallum’s edge. Sacrifice one for all, or all for one? As cruel irony would have it, time was running short and he had one last choice to make.

“Prompto.”

The sound of Noctis’ voice snapped Prompto out of his train of thought as he looked up to meet his friend’s solemn but determined eyes.

“It’s time.”

Prompto fervently shook his head. “Noct... I can’t do this. I-I don’t want to do this!”

“Prompto, listen to me,” Noctis said, gripping Prompto by his shoulders. “Everyone in Lestallum is going to die if you don’t go back and end all of this before it starts.”

“_You’ll _ die if I do!” Prompto yelled. “Is that what you want?” 

“You don’t think I know that!?” Noctis yelled back, the wind and rain whipping about loudly between the two of them. “Of course I don’t want that. But there’s no way I could live with myself knowing hundreds of people would die because of me.” He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply, as if somehow to convince himself that this was completely fair. “And I know you couldn’t either.”

All that time-hopping, all those rewinds, every single time he’d brought Noctis back from death’s edge... it would amount to nothing. Prompto hated it. The very thought of it made him sick to his stomach with frustration.

What he hated even more, however, was that Noctis was right. 

“Figures,” Prompto scoffed. “I get you back after all this time and not even the universe wants us to be together.”

“Always knew it was out to get us one way or another,” Noctis ruefully retorted.

They stared into each other’s eyes for what simultaneously felt like an eternity and too brief of a time to measure. Eventually, Prompto’s legs seemed to move him forward on their own as he leaned in and closed the gap between him and Noctis with a kiss. It was so unlike the fleeting peck on the mouth he’d given to him days ago on a dare. He could actually feel him kissing him back this time, a satisfying but sobering mix of a mutual affection and farewell between them both.

They reluctantly pulled apart from each other, only for Prompto to hastily lean back in and hug him. “I’m sorry.” His apology was a muffled whimper as he spoke into the crook of Noctis’ shoulder. “I’m so so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Noctis moved to cradle Prompto’s face in his own hands and pressed their foreheads together, the freezing rain almost numbing his touch. “This week has been the best I’ve had in my entire life and it’s all thanks to you.” He broke off and stepped away from Prompto, wiping away his own tears and giving a sad smile in return. “Just try not to forget about me this time, alright?”

Prompto gave a hollow chuckle. “Couldn’t even if I tried.”

With the massive cyclone in the distance fading into the background, the world fell silent and blurred around Prompto as he looked into the photograph and felt himself being pulled into it one last time.

* * *

_ Click! _

The sound of a camera shutter opening and closing went off within the empty school bathroom. A short whirring within the camera produced an instant snapshot of a blue morpho butterfly precariously balanced on the edge of a tin pail. As Prompto lowered the camera, he shook the photo a few times in his hand before staring at it pensively for a few moments. Against every impulse and instinct begging him not to, Prompto tore the photo in half, watching the pieces glide gently onto the tiled floor before peering around the corner. As he watched the door for any movement, he silently pleaded for it to not open this time around.

His heart sank when he saw the door swing open to allow Loqi inside. The young man stormed over to one of the sink mirrors and began rambling to himself, just as he’d done the first time. Prompto quickly hid back behind the stall wall, back pressed against it as if it would make him less visible. 

“Don’t panic. You’ve got it all under control,” Loqi reassured loudly to himself. “You’ve got everything under control in this town. It’s all yours, after all.”

_ Right on time, _Prompto dryly thought to himself. It was pretty sad, considering what ended up happening to Loqi at the end of it all. The feeling of pity for this unwitting pawn was short-lived when Prompto heard the door open and close a second time and Noctis’ all-too familiar husky voice spoke out, freezing his heart over with dread. 

“We need to talk,” Noctis said.

“I have nothing to say to you,” Loqi bitterly declared.

“The hell you don’t.”

Just one step. All it would take is one step and he could stop all of this again. There had to be something he could do differently this time. He didn’t have to necessarily rewind. Maybe he could step in between them, get the gun away from Loqi somehow. Never mess with time ever again after this so him and Noct could have all the time in the world. Just the two of them.

Prompto simply sunk down to the floor, anxiously running his fingers through his flaxen hair as he sat down and listened to the familiar scene play out before his ears.

“You are the last person that has any right to tell me what to do!”

“Why do you have that...?”

_ I’m sorry buddy. _ Prompto thought to himself. _ I really am. _

“I’m sick of everyone trying to control me like some sort of puppet!” Loqi hissed.

“I’m not trying to do that! Just put the gun down and we can talk!” Noctis protested.

Prompto hugged his knees closer to his chest, bracing himself for the weight of the inevitable outcome that was getting heavier by the second. 

“Why don’t you do me a favor and just _ die!? _”

“Get that gun away from me, you psycho—!”

_ I love you so much. _

The _ bang! _ of the gunshot jolted Prompto from his huddle before he settled back into place, hugging himself even tighter as he suppressed the quiet sobs that threatened to give him away. Tears clouded his vision and littered the floor beneath him one by one as he tried to tune out the thud of Noctis’ body hitting the ground and Loqi’s futile panicking at the sight of what he’d done. Unbeknownst to any of them, a small blue butterfly had flown away from the corner and out an open window to the world outside.

_ Goodbye. _

**Author's Note:**

> what better way to deal with a months-long "life is strange" kick than to put another photographer and punk kid in their place and see how that'd turn out?
> 
> thank you for reading!


End file.
